


Carnal Bloom: First Draft

by CeceRose



Series: Stranger Things Murder Mystery Scripts [2]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Crime Scenes, Gen, Implied/Referenced Terrorism, Murder Mystery, Screenplay/Script Format
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-10
Updated: 2019-11-10
Packaged: 2021-01-26 18:23:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21378529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CeceRose/pseuds/CeceRose
Summary: Logline: The mayor of Hawkins was last spotted near the local lake. Hopper investigates and uncovers a much bigger scandal.
Relationships: Joyce Byers & Jim "Chief" Hopper, Joyce Byers & Steve Harrington, Steve Harrington & Jim "Chief" Hopper
Series: Stranger Things Murder Mystery Scripts [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1539118
Kudos: 1





	Carnal Bloom: First Draft

**Author's Note:**

> This was part of an application for an internship with Television Academy, which required me to write a script for an original scene in a preexisting drama series. I wrote a separate scene before, but I'm trying different scenes to see which one flows better. Ultimately, I had to make some very heavy revisions.

FADE IN:

LAKE HAWKINS—MORNING

The actual water content of the lake is not yet shown, only the muddy bank and the dewdrop-covered reeds that line it. Trees and mountains surround the lake on all sides. In the far-off distance, a mountain lodge can be seen. A heavy mist falls upon the area. Down a dirt road leading to the lake, coming opposite the lodge, CHIEF JIM HOPPER’s police car pulls up. He steps out of the car and slams the door behind him. His boots make a heavy plodding across the dock. The deck boards creak beneath his weight until he stops at the end and leans over. Shot from the water looking up at Hopper’s mortified face.

CUT TO:

STEVE HARRINGTON’s vehicle pulls up next to Hopper’s. Hopper stands at the entrance to the dock with his arms crossed, waiting for him. Steve exits the car and walks toward him, observing the scenery. The fog has since lifted, giving way for the sunlight to pour in. However, a few clouds cluster together over the horizon, signaling an oncoming storm.

HOPPER

You’re late. I thought you said you wouldn’t drink last night.

STEVE

I didn’t. It’s not that I’m hungover, that party was just really long.

His tone veers into indignant territory.

I kind of assumed I’d have the entire weekend to sleep in after that fiasco. But I guess not.

HOPPER

Sorry if you thought my calling you over was a rude awakening. Just take a look at that.

Hopper motions to the dock. Steve walks to the edge and peers over. Shot from Steve’s perspective looking into the water. CARL MENDES, the mayor of Hawkins’s, body floats beneath the dock. Algae grows through every visible hole in his body. One of said holes is a large one in the middle of his torso as if a sharp object has torn through his clothes. His skin is pale, signaling that all his blood drained through the hole. The entire lake’s water is bright green with algae. Steve’s eyes widen and his jaw drops. He stumbles a bit backward. This reaction is reflected in the water. Hopper coming up behind Steve is also reflected. Cut back to them in real time.

STEVE

So this is where he’s been since last night. He never left the party…

HOPPER

I’ll need you to help me drag him out. I got an okay from the department to handle the body just to get him out of the water. They said the longer he’s left to stew in there, the more the evidence will tamper with itself.

Steve nods and together they head back to Hopper’s trunk to obtain the needed supplies.

CUT TO:

Mendes’s limp body being dragged onto the dock. Hopper grips him from under the arms while Steve lifts the rest of the body out of the lake. They drop him like a dead weight onto the deck boards. Steve stares at the gaping hole in his abdomen.

HOPPER (V.O.)

The paramedics are on their way. They’ll take it from here, but you should stay to give any testimony you might have.

STEVE

What do you think happened? His face looks like chalk.

Hopper kneels down next to Steve to get a closer look at the body. He narrows his eyes as he takes in the full details of the horrific mess in front of him.

HOPPER

If I had to guess, I’d say it was a stab wound. Probably some tree hugger finally got tired of waiting for him to keep doing nothing.

STEVE

Who would do that?

Just then, flashes of blue, white, and red reflect on the lake surface. Hopper looks down the road to see more police cars and an ambulance approaching.

HOPPER

If you know anything, you should tell us. That’ll help us figure out who. Any information will be useful. We’ll be questioning everyone who attended the gala anyway, so you might as well stick around and get it over with.

Steve looks up at what once was the cluster of clouds in the corner of the sky. They have now spread apart and are scattered in different places, some overcasting the sun. They are dark like storm clouds. Steve then notices a chilling breeze rustling the trees. He shivers inwardly.

STEVE

And how long will this take?

HOPPER

Why? I thought you were planning to do nothing all weekend.

Steve grimaces but says nothing. He can’t argue with the chief’s sound logic.

CUT TO:

INT. LAKE HAWKINS COMMUNITY CENTER LODGE—LATE MORNING

Hopper leans against the wall in a hallway outside a door. Behind the door is where detectives are carrying out their questionings. The door opens. JOYCE BYERS walks out, having just finished her interview. Her exit gets Hopper’s attention.

JOYCE

None of those questions led anywhere! You might need to hire new detectives.

The two of them begin to walk down the hall together.

HOPPER

Ambiguous questions actually do a lot to help narrow things down. And our detectives know all the basic background information like possible suspects and motives. Now is just a matter of pinning down the actual culprit.

JOYCE

Well, hopefully you catch them. Although I doubt they’ll be much of a threat, whoever they are. Now that Mendes is dead, there’s no one left to ignore the crisis.

Hopper raises an eyebrow at her.

HOPPER

Joyce, are you trying to justify murder?

CUT TO:

EXT. LAKE HAWKINS COMMUNITY CENTER LODGE—LATE MORNING

Steve waits out on the front patio. The wind now tilts the weaker branches on the trees. It blows Steve’s bedhead into his face. He throws on his hood in an attempt to fend off the weather and shudders. The doors open, revealing Hopper and Joyce taking their argument outside.

JOYCE

I’m not trying to justify murder. All I’m saying is whoever did this had a point. They may not have… articulated it in the best way, but a silver lining to all this is hopefully the next mayor actually does something about the algae filling up our waterways. I mean for god sakes, Jim, our children swim in that lake!

HOPPER

That sounds like the perfect excuse to rid this town of its corrupt mayor if I ever heard one.

JOYCE

Are you saying I’m the one who did it?

HOPPER

I’m not saying I suspect you. I’m saying I think we found a possible motive for domestic terrorism.

They regroup with Steve and exit the patio, heading to their cars. Most of the other vehicles have driven off, the mayor’s body along with them. As the last few cars drive away, the camera pans downward for another shot of the algae-filled lake.

FADE OUT.


End file.
